Parent & Kid Friendly Recipes: Baked Veggie Spring Rolls

Ditch the deep fryer and say “see ya later” to take-out with these Baked Veggie Spring Rolls.

The perfect after-school snack or party appetizer, these Baked Veggie Spring Rolls will have kids begging for more and adults begging for the recipe. Make these for any playdate, class party, potluck, or block party and be the coolest parent around. So delicious, people will forget that it’s packed with veggies! Serve on their own or with your favorite dipping sauces such as sweet and sour sauce, peanut sauce, or sweet chili sauce!

Makes: 8-10 servings | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp oil of choice + extra for brushing spring rolls
• ¾ Tbsp garlic, finely minced
• ½ Tbsp ginger, finely minced
• 1 cup (~2oz) thinly sliced cabbage
• 1 cup (~2oz) thinly sliced red cabbage
• ½ cup thinly sliced carrot
• ½ cup thinly sliced green bell pepper
• ½ cup rice noodles
• 1 cup sprouts of choice
• ¼ cup scallions, finely chopped
• ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ Tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper, or to taste
• ½ tsp Chinese five spice powder (optional)
• 8-10 spring roll sheets
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp water

Directions

1. Break rice noodles into smaller pieces and place rice noodles into a heat safe bowl. Pour hot water over the noodles and let them sit undisturbed for about 4 minutes.
2. While noodles sit, start with the veggie filling and heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant. Add the carrots and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the remaining vegetables and sauté for about a minute. Add the sprouts.
3. Drain the softened rice noodles and add to the skillet. Stir it all together.
4. Add soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, Chinese five spice, salt, and pepper to the mixture and stir well. Turn off the heat and add in scallions. Transfer the mixture to a tray and spread it out to let it cool for a few minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 400℉.
6. Mix together the cornstarch and water to create a paste and set aside. Keep the spring roll wrappers under a damp cloth to prevent drying out. 
7. To wrap the spring rolls: Place a spring roll wrapper on a clean surface with a corner facing you, so it looks like a diamond. Place about 2 Tbsp of filling about an inch away from the corner closest to you. Take that corner and tuck it tightly over the filling. Roll until you reach about the center of the wrapper. Fold the left and right corners towards the center and continue rolling (like wrapping a burrito). Once you reach the end, brush the edge of the final corner with cornstarch paste and seal well.
8. Finish wrapping all spring rolls, covering them with a damp cloth as you go along to prevent drying. Place spring rolls in a greased tray, seam side down and brush the tops with oil.
9. Bake on the upper rack for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through until both sides are golden brown.
10. Transfer to a plate and serve with dipping sauce of your choice. Enjoy!

Helpful Tips

• Make sure the stuffing is not too moist or it will make wrappers soggy. If stuffing has too much moisture, transfer to a colander to drain excess. 
• Do not overstuff the wrappers. If overstuffed, contents may spill during baking.
• For even golden brown, brush both sides of the wrapper with oil before filling. This will make the crust even flakier.